Police: Man made up home invasion, now charged in wife's murder

An elderly Northeast Philadelphia man fabricated a story about a home invasion to cover for killing his wife, but allegedly later confessed to the homicide

A Northeast Philadelphia man is charged with killing his wife in what was initially investigated as a home invasion.Credit: Google Images

An elderly Northeast Philadelphia man fabricated a story about a home invasion to cover for killing his wife, but later confessed to the homicide, according to police.

Philadelphia police initially thought 75-year-old Lou Hartdegen was injured in a home invasion-style burglary along with his wife, 74-year-old Judith Hartdegen, early Monday.

Now, police have charged Hartdegen with killing his wife inside their home on the 6700 block of Castor Avenue.

Murder and related charged were filed about 7:35 p.m. Monday, according to police.

Both Hartdegens were treated for injuries believed sustained as victims in a violent burglary — Lou for neck and head injuries and Judith for head injuries — after police arrived at their home in the city's Oxford Circle neighborhood around 2:50 a.m. Monday.

Judith Hartdegen was pronounced dead at Aria Health-Torresdale Hospital a short time later.